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| Sugar Glider |
A Sugar Glider ia a small Arboreal (Lives in trees) Marsupial from Indonesia, New Guinea, and Australia. These little animals rarely ever leave their trees to move about on the ground except to cross open areas to reach another forested area. They nest together in colonies but there is usually only one dominate male.
TAXONOMIC CLASSIFICATION:
Order: Marsupial
Family: Petauridae
Genus: Petaurus
Species: Breviceps
DESCRIPTION:
Adult Sugar Gliders are about the size of a Southern Flying Squirrel (6" from nose to base of tail) and likewise have a gliding membrane from their wrists to their ankles. A Sugar Glider is gray to brownish in color with a black stripe down its head and back. The tail is furry and is not prehensile, although they do seem to curl the lower third often. Sugar Gliders are an animal with similar enviromental requirements of small mamals and can be housed in the same area. If you like small mamals and would like to diversify, these animals are a viable possiblilty.
CAGE REQUIREMENTS:
Sugar Gliders should be kept in wire cages: minimum 1' x 1' 2' high, 1/2" x 1" wire mesh. Finch cages work very well. Two food dishes may be used (one for fruit and one for dry food), give your glider a water bottle for drinking. NEVER let the water bottle go empty, this could be a fatal mistake. As for the bottom of the cage, news-paper, pine shavings, or aspen shavings are all good choices. AVOID CEDAR SHAVINGS. Keep the cage in a warm non drafty area about 75 to 80 degrees. Clean about once or twice a week. I recommend the use of a bonding/sleeping pouches for the gliders but I have also used plastic cups. I have found that Sugar Gliders have a tendancy to protect wooden boxes or bird nests. The problem is that to get them out, you must come straight at them and they sometimes consider this an act of agression. With the cups, you just dump them out in your hand. With the Glider Pouches, you just open the pouch wide enough to slide your hand into it and they don't feel so threatened.
FEEDING:
Sugar Gliders eat fruit, nectar and sap in the wild as well as small insects, and a few vertebrates. They need about 25% protein and about 75% fruit in their diet. We recommend the following diet: Dry Food daily.
Fresh fruit every day if possible. (Aples, pears, peach, cantaloupe, melon, corn and etc.) DO NOT GIVE SUGAR GLIDERS Banana's or citrus. Gliderade once or twice a week. - Use 1/2 tsp. Gliderade to 2 1/2 tsp. of water per. Pour mixture over fruit and serve in a small dish, or just spinkle a little on their fruit DO NOT PUT GLIDERADE IN WATER BOTTLE: The water bottle will stop from working, and your pet will dehydrate and die.
Rep-cal - A Calcium supplement can be given once a week. This supplement can be dusted on fruit, treats, or just added to Gliderade. Give about 1/4 tsp per animal.
Other foods and treats that can be given are: boiled eggs w/shell (mashed), boiled chicken on the bone, crickets, mealworms, sunflower seeds (raw and unsalted), peanuts (unsalted) and honey. Give seeds and nuts sparingly, because they are high in fat and calories.